Railway car structure



Oct. 25, 1932. H. M. ri-FLAGERET A L' n 1,884,846

RAILWAY GAR STRUCTURE Filed sept.l 15. 1930' s sheets-Sinaai` 1 0d- 25, 1932. H. M. PFLAGR ET AL 1,884,845

RAILWAY CAR STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 15, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 #M7575 ggg/@H I t 25, 1932. H. M. PFLAGER ET AL 1,884,846

RAILWAY CAR STRUCTURE Filed sept. Ai5, -1930 sheets-sheet 5 STATES UNlTE PATENT breieny 'HARRY M. PFLAGER, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, EmAB G. HALLQ'UIST, 0F EDWARDS- VILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS T0 GENERAL STEEL CASTINGS CORPORATION, Oll

GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE RAILWAY CAB STRUCTURE Application led September 15, 1930. Serial No. 482,05.

@ur invention relates to railway rollin l stock and particularly to the construction o the underframe for a railway hopper car.

The main object of our inventlon is to provide a hopper car of maximum capacity for its length and height and also to provide an economical, rigid, strong underframe and hopper structure adapted to resist the usual corrosive actions whichtend to rapidly deteriorate the ordinary built up car structure in which the joints between overlapping plates, shapes and rivets afford numerous crevices for the entrance of water and dirt which greatly facilitates oorroding. This construction also provides hopper walls free from rivets which obstruct the passage of material.

Another object ot our invention is to simplify the construction of the car when plete and carries the hoppers without deriving any very substantial reinforcement therefrom.

Figure 1 is a top view of a hopper car underframe embodying our invent-ion.

Figure 2 is in part a longitudinal vertical section through the hoppers, and in part a side elevationof a hopper car' equipped with our novel underrame.

A l Figure 3 is an end viewof the nnderframe.

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sec- I tions on lines 44 and 5--5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the hopper structure of a Vmodiied form of our invention.

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 6. A Y

Figure 8 is a similar section illustrating another modification of our invention.

.In the structure shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the entire underframe comprises a one piece casting having bolsters l, a single I-beam center sill' 2 between the holsters, spaced channel draft sills 3 between the bolsters and end sills 4;, and side sills 5 of channel cross section. Diagonal corner braces 8 extend from the intersection of the holsters and draft sills to the intersection ot the side sills and end sills.

rlhe car is of the type having a plurality of hoppers on each side of the center sill, and the upper portions of the hopper end walls 11, 12 and'13 extend from side sill to side sill throughout the depth of the center and side sills and merge with vertical webs of the sills and torni the main transverse members of the underframe. The lower portions of the hopper end walls level of the bottom of the sllls. The vertical webs of the sills 2 and 5 form the upper portions ol: the hopper side walls. Preferably the lower Hanges of the center sill are inclined as shown in Figure 5 and have exten-I sions 9 forming the lower portions of the inner side walls of the hoppers sind the lower flanges ot the side sills have inclined extensions 10 forming the lower portions of the outer side walls of the ho pers. Extensions 9 and 10 are integral-wit the downwardly projecting portions of the hopper end walls 1 1, 12 and 13 and with them form substantially rectangular hopper discharge chutesn The hopper end Walls 1l, one for each hopper, are each provided with a rectangular door opening 14 and door hinge lugs l5 are formed integral with one side of the 'door opening. Suitable reinforcing ribs 36 extend around the door openings. The upper portions of walls 11 and 12 merge into vertical ribs 6 to which the superstructure braces may be secured and these ribs terminate in stienlng flanges 6a. The adjacent portions of the walls 11 and 12 diverge widely and more nearly approach the horizontal to form a. more rigid cross brace for the underframe and to (provide more'room for mounting the hopper oor.

The upper end of the left hand hopper` and wall 13 is shown with a projection 16 er project below the f Il tending above the top of the sills for mounting the lower end of the superstructure slope sheet 17. The adjacent bolster 1 has an integral upward projection l18 for mounting' a jection 16.

At the opposite end of Figures 1 and 2 we illustrate a generall service construction in which the end wall of the end hopper terminates at the to of the sills and the car is provided with a at Hoor 37 extending from the upper edge of the hopper to the end of the car. This structure will omit the upwardly projecting elements for mounting the end s ope sheet.

The car side walls 20 may be riveted or -welded to the car side sills and the car end walls 21may be similarly secured to the underframe end sills 4.'

The construction described forms a hopper car underframe with a center sill comprising a single vertical web running from bolster to bolster and a plurality vof hopper structures on each side of the center sill integral with the center sill and side sill and contributing largely to the rigidity of the underframe structure. As a result, the center sill 'and side sills sectional areas may be reduced substantially from that usually re quired in built up structures in which the center sill is large enough to carry substantiall -the entire load. The usual wide structura box girder center sill, formed of spaced channels with their flanges facing outwardly and provided with top and bottom web plates, limits the Width of the hopper openings and results in a broad central platform on which the material loaded into the car would accumulate and have to 'be shoveled olf when the car is emptied. In our construction the entire underframe structure, comprising a relatively narrow center sill with integral hopper elements and side sills, forms a unit strong enough to transmit the buling and pulling forces and to carry the load. At the same time, the hoppers may be widened and the horizontal surfaces tending to interfere with the discharge of the load may be reduced.

The ysmooth inner surfaces of the hoppers, .5p free from crevices, overlapping flanges and riveted heads further increase the discharge area and facilitate the movement of the material over thehopper walls. f

-The inclinationofvthe hopper side walls and 10 permits the'underframe to Weave between its ends without setting up undue stresses in the -hopper structures or distorting the door openings.

We prefer to include as integral parts of 69 the underframe structure thedraft gear pockety forming elements 37, the coupler carrier 38, the striking plate 39, the center plate 40, and the side bearings 4,1. q The above advantageous features may be attained in structures differing substantially slope sheet support plate 19 spaced from pro- `structures coming in detail from'that described above and illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

In the modification illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, we show the longitudinal sills 22 and 23, with flanges 22a and 23a, and the transverse webs 24, with flanges 24a, forming the upper parts of the hopper side and end walls and essential elements of the underfra'me. The lower portion of each hopper consists of a separate casting having end and side Walls 26 and 27 respectively and' provided with fianges 28 whereby the hoppers may be welded or riveted to the depending elements on the sills and transoms.

This structure will retain many desirable features of our preferred structure but it will be easier to cast the underframe since it is notso large or complicated and if one or more hoppers are injured in a wreck or otherwise they can be removed and replaced more readily than a hopper of our preferred structure. Each hopper structure is provided wlth a door opening 25 and includes'integral door hingeelements 29.

In .the structure shown irl-Figure 8 we 1llustrate'a center sill 30 having the usual horizontal fianges 31 with the hopper wall forming elements 32 depending vertically therefrom. The other side walls 33 of the hoppers incline inwardly and downwardly from the side sills 34 similarly to the arrangement shown in Figure 5 although the walls merge with the sills in the form of an larc instead of an angular connection as shown in the prei bodied in substantially different detail struc ture and reference'is made here to our copending application'Serial N o. 482,034, filed of even date herewith, and also to application Serial No. 353,494, filed April 8, 1929, by G. G. Gilpin and A. E. Small. Structures of 1 los both of these copending applications may eml body numerous features of the present invention.

Various other modifications in the details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention and we contemplate the exclusive use of allsuch within the scope of our claims.

We claim:

1. In a railwaycar underframe, a center sill having a single vertical web, and hopper side wall elements depending from the lower portions of said center sill proper and reinforcing the same.

League 2. In a railway car underframe, a. center sill having a single vertical web, and hopper end wall elements integral with said center sill and extending transversely thereof and constituting underframe cross ties.

3. In a railway car underframe, acenter sill of I-beam cross section, and hopper side wall elements integral with and depending from and extending alc-ng the outer edges of the lower flanges of said center sill.

4. A railway car underframe, center sill of I-beam cross section, the lower flanges of said sill being inclined downwardly and outwardly andprovided with extensions whereby hopper side wall elements are formed integral with the sill and extending below the same.

` 5. In a railway car underframe, a side sill of channel cross section, the lower liange of said sill having a downwardly and inwardly inclined extension forming a hopper side wall element.

6. In a railway car underframe, a center sill with a single vertical web, side sills, and hopper end walls extending between said sills and forming underframecross ties.

7. In a railway car underfrarne, a center sill with a single vertical web, Side sills, and hopper side walls depending from said sills and forming sill reinforcing elements.

8. In a railway car underfrarne, a center sill with a single vertical web, side sills, and hopper structures below said sills and forming a substantial part of the underframe structure by cross bracing and otherwise reinforcing said sills.

9. An under'i'rame as set forth in claim 6 in which the structure specified is formed in a single casting.

- wall of a hopper below the `top of said sills,

x said' member projecting above the top of said sills for mounting a hopper end wall upper slope sheet. l

E13. In a railway car integral underframe structure, longitudinal sills, a bolster,v a. transverse element spaced from said bolster, said bolster including a rib extending above the level of the top of said sills for `mounting a support plate fora hopper end sheet, and said plate including an upwardly and outwardly inclined element pro'ecting above -said level for directly supporting said slope Sheet.

14. In a railway car underframe, a sin le center sill, a side sill, hopper `side walls epending from the lower ortions of said sills proper, and a hop r en wall extending between said side wa ls,there being a door o enin formed in said end wall and exten ing su tantially. the full width thereof.

15. In a railway car underframe, side sills, a center sill, and a member extending from side sill to side sill and integral therewith `and with said A centersill and inclined from the vertical and forming a hopper end wall p throughout the depth of said sills.

17. In a railway hopper car underframe, a f

center sill having a single vertical web, and a plurality of hoppers on each side of said sill and formed integrally therewith.

18. In a railway hopper car underframe integral structure including bolsters, a center sill comprising a single upright web between said bolsters, draft sills between said bolsters and the ends ofthe car, hopper side and end walls, draft gear pockets, striking plate, and coupler carrier.

19. A railway hopper car underframe integral structure including bolsters, a center sill comprising a single upright web between said bolsters, a center plate, draft sills between said bolsters and the ends of the car, hopper side and end walls, draft gear pockets, striking plate, and coupler carrier.

20. A railway hopper car nnderframe integral structure including bolsters, a center sill comprising a single upright web between said bolsters, a center plate, side bearings on said bolsters, draft sills between said holsters and the ends of the car, hopper side and end walls, draft gear pockets, striking plate, and coupler carrier.

21. In a railway car underframe, side sills, a center sill, and a member extending from side sill to side sill and integral therewith and inclined from the vertical and forming a htlipper end wall throughout the depth of said si s.

l22. In a railway car underframe, longitudinal sills, transverse members, depending flanges on said sills and members, all of said parts'heing integral with each other, and a hopper un1t structure with flanges at its upper end for attachment to said'rst mentioned flanges.

23. In combination, acast underframe for a railway car, including the upper portion of a hopper, and a separately cast lower portion of said hopper attached to said underframe.

24. In combination, a cast underframe for v a railway hopper car, including the upper portion of a hopper, and a separately cast rectan ular structure forming the lower portion o said hopper including a door frame andarranged to be attached to said underfra-me. v

25. In combination, a cast underframe for a railway hopper car, including the upper portion of a hopper and a separately cast rectangular structure forming the lower portion 'of said hop er including a door frame provided with integral door hinge elements and arranged to be attached to said underframe. In testimony whereof we hereunto ax our signatures this 11th day of September, 1930.

H. M. PFLAGER. EINAR G. HALLQUIST. 

